Dustlight's Choice
by The Showers in April
Summary: Dustlight is ordinary. She's well-liked, she has family who cares. Her sister Mintfeather is the one that stands out, and Dustlight is okay with it, but when a great divide hits WindClan, and cats begin to show their true colors, Dustlight must make her choice— a very important choice. And once it's made, there's nothing anyone can do to change it. Ordinary? Please!
1. Mintheart's Promise

**Hello! It's me April243. The author famous for starting stories she tends to never finish. Yeah. Sorry about that. I just have so many story lines running around in my head, I have to write them down!**

**Anyway, this is for a little character I made up a little while ago, and I just wanted to give her life and personality. This story may be a little confusing in the beginning, but as it progresses it will all fall together.**

**I'd also appreciate if you would give me some OCs! I have creative juices, but I want to see what the public comes up with! Send me the OC in the reviews!**

**Enjoy my bisssssssssshes! ;D**

* * *

A chilly breeze swept into the WindClan camp, moving about the sand on the wide, rolling moor.

Hollowstar sat with his deputy Heatherstem as they murmured quietly.

"Heatherstem _please_. You must join the queens in the nursery! You're almost due," Hollowstar begged the dark tabby she-cat. "Someone else can take over your duties as deputy while you take care of your kits!"

Heatherstem snorted. "Like I'll let that happen! Hollowstar, I will be _fine. _I can handle both being a mother and being a deputy."

"I'm not asking you as your brother," Hollowstar meowed sternly, "I'm telling you as your leader."

When Heatherstem gave him a pleading look, he felt a twinge of guilt. _She is so _stubborn_!But she knows I'm right,_ he thought. His sister was going to bear kits! It was exciting, but she just _didn't want_ to be a queen.

After a long moment, Heatherstem dropped her gaze and nodded. "Alright. _Fine_. You win. I'll let you pack me off to the nursery." She looked back up at him, her sharp blue gaze staring straight into him. "_BUT_ don't you dare replace me permanently!"

Hollowstar let out an _mrrrow_ of laughter. "I wouldn't dream of it!" He pressed his muzzle into her shoulder affectionately.

Heatherstem chuckled, licking her chest a few times. "Thank you, Hollowstar."

He blinked. "For what?" _I just made her do something she didn't want to do. Why would she thank me?_

"Because you care."

"Willowleap cares. He loves you and is so excited to be a father," Hollowstar assured her, thinking of the gray tom that would always bring his mate a plump rabbit to share in the shade of a thicket where they would talk about names for the kits.

Heatherstem nodded with a happy gleam in her eyes. "Yes… Yes you're right." She looked over at her brother with a face full of pride. She nosed his ear, before padding over to her nest out under the stars near the edge of the camp. She slept next to her mate and good friend Fallowsplash.

When the tawny pelted leader gave her a look, she replied with,

"You can't _possibly_ expect me to sleep in the nursery tonight! It is far past moonhigh and I need some sleep now. Tomorrow."

Heatherstem turned and curled up quickly before Hollowstar could protest. He sighed and looked up at the stars. Some were bright; some were dull. He wondered if his own mother was up their looking down on him right now. _Don't be silly! _he scolded himself. _Of course she is! She was a wonderful cat and she promised she'd always look out for me!_

* * *

But the stars had a different plan that particular night.

"Mintheart… Come with me," meowed a starry cat from where the silver tabby was stalking a mouse. At the sound of the noise, the mouse scuttled away, startled.

Mintheart raised her head to look at the cat who had called her. It was the former ShadowClan leader, Aspenstar. "Greetings, Aspenstar," she meowed. "What can I do for you this lovely night?"

Aspenstar said nothing, just placed his tail on her back and guided her through the starry forest.

A group of fallen warriors stood around two tiny bundles made of starlight, unmoving.

Mintheart stared at them in fascination. _What could they possibly need me here for? This is a birthing ceremony, and cats like me aren't usually allowed to attend._

"Mintheart, we have decided to send you back to WindClan," Aspenstar announced.

Mintheart, for a moment, was too shocked to speak. Then she meowed softly, "_What?"_

Another cat, a dappled female, meowed from near the back of the group, "We believe that you, Mintheart, deserve another chance at life, since you were so cruelly cut off."

Mintheart remembered her death. It was in a torrent of rain in which she slipped off Outlook Rock while hunting a particularly quick rabbit.

Falling off and hitting the ground were the two things that stayed in her memory the most vividly and she shuddered to think about it.

"Do you see the silver kit?" asked Aspenstar, pointing to the smaller bundle with his tail.

Mintheart nodded. "Yes. I see her."

He smiled. "That will be you."

She looked at the second bundle. "And what of her?" Mintheart asked, gesturing to the kit.

"Your sister. You'll make quite a pair," another StarClan warrior answered.

Aspenstar looked at Mintheart with hope gleaming in his eyes. "Will you do it?"

Mintheart took a long look at the silver kit. _It looks so much like me…_

She sighed before turning to the black furred cat. "I haven't got much of a choice, do I?"

With that said, Aspenstar, the dapple she-cat, and the rest of the cats closed in their circle, forcing Mintheart to step closer and closer to the silver kit.

Before she bent to touch noses to the awaiting spirit, she looked intensely at the other kit.

_We'll make a great team, _she thought, _I promise._

* * *

And below, under the watchful eyes of StarClan, Heatherstem let out a yowl.

"THEY"RE HERE! MY KITS ARE HERE!"

* * *

**So, please. I need a good amount of reviews until I update. When I do, you'll know how many reviews I find acceptable for each chapter I put my heart and soul into writing for you all. Thank you very much. Good day.**

**REVIEW! :)**


	2. The Deal

**Hi everyone. Just FYI, That part about "heart and soul," and "a certain number of reviews per chapter..." yeah. That was BS on my part, though I do put a lot of effort into making each chapter enjoyable for the readers.**

**And anyway, again; I am looking for OCs! So amke up a character, and PM it to me! I'll see what I can do to add your OC into the story! :D**

**I'm starting school tommorow, so my updates will come in longer pauses. Much longer pauses, just to warn you.**

**Now that that business is settled**

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

* * *

"She looks just like my mother, Willowleap! We _must_ name her after Mintheart!" a jubilant voice exclaimed softly from above the calico kit's head.

She let out a tiny mewling cry as she pushed her face into her mother's tummy, searching for milk.

"Alright, alright. She shall be called Mintkit. A perfect name for a perfect kit," another voice meowed.

_He has a kind voice, _the kit thought, pulling away from her mother.

Another tiny mew reached her hearing and she bumped blindly into a tiny, furry body. The calico kit climbed atop it and she gave a triumphant squeak.

"And what shall we call our eldest?" her mother asked, lifting her off the little mewing body.

"Emberkit? Sunnykit?" Willowleap suggested.

As they listed off names, one of the cats' tails must have flicked up a small cloud of dust into her face. She let out two tiny sneezes, and the tiny body, who the calico kit guessed was another kit, squealed indignantly.

"Oh! Oh, she's covered in dust!"

Immediately a rough tongue was licking her face, removing the fine substance from her tiny whiskers.

A rustling of hard stems signaled another cat's entrance. "Why don't you name her Dustkit?" came a crackly voice.

"Dustkit. Yes I love it. What do you think, Heatherstem?" Willowleap with his kind voice asked.

"A perfect name for a perfect kit. Yes. Thank you so much Fallenfoot."

The crackly voiced cat let out a chuckle. "Anytime, you two. Anytime…" he meowed, and the rustling resumed as he exited.

Dustkit once again sought out her mother's milk, and Mintkit was tumbling straight after her older sister.

_The perfect names for perfect kits. Are we perfect kits? _she wondered. _We must be… whatever _perfect _means…_

* * *

Mintkit leapt up on Dustkit's back knocking her over. "_Come on!"_ she begged, tugging on her ear with her teeth. "Let's go out and play with Swiftkit!"

Dustkit rolled her blue eyes and snorted. "I'm already playing!" She swiveled her ears to the obvious hiding spots of Thicketkit and Rabbitkit behind the prey heap.

"You _always_ play with them! Why don't you ever play with me and Swiftkit?" Mintkit whined, lashing her tail. She was still perched on top of her littermate.

Dustkit sighed and shrugged her off. "Because all _you _want to play is 'Catch the Butterfly.' "

Mintkit opened her mouth to protest, but at that moment a light brown blur came rushing towards them.

_"MINTKIT!" _Swiftkit screeched, bowling her silver friend over. "I _CAUGHT _IT!"

Dustkit snickered as Mintkit stood up, shook herself out, and gave Dustkit a pleading look. "Dustkit," Mintkit meowed pitifully, "_please?"_

Mintkit flicked Swiftkit's back with her tail, and the younger kit, after a moment of confusion, caught on quickly. "_Please, Dustkit_?" she whined, making her eyes wide.

Dustkit sighed and meowed in defeat, "Can't we all play together? You two, me, Rabbitkit, and Thicketkit?"

Swiftkit wrinkled her nose in disgust. "_Eeeeeew. Them? _No way. They're annoying!"

"Fine, then. No deal."

Mintkit head butted Swiftkit. "Come on! They aren't _that bad!"_

Swiftkit groaned. "I really don't want to play with those two. Rabbitkit's a bully! He once pulled my tail!"

Mintkit gasped. "Did you tell?"

"No. He said if I told on him, he'd pull it again!"

Dustkit was trying not to laugh at Swiftkit's complaint. The brown she-kit was _always_ complaining about the most rabbitbrained things! It never stopped. She had told on Dustkit a quarter moon ago because she'd accidentally stepped on a beetle she'd been examining.

_I had to apologize to her _and _the beetle, _Dustkit recalled, sighing deeply.

She took the moment in which the two she-kits were retelling their stories of woe to slip away and finish the long game of hide-and-seek.

Creeping forward stealthily, she made her way to the prey heap where she could hear laughter.

"She must be having a hard time finding us!" That was Rabbitkit.

"But she always does in the end." Thicketkit, now.

With a flying leap, she knocked down Rabbitkit with a yowl of, "YOU BET!"

Thicketkit started laughing. "I told you!" he squealed, pushing Dustkit down off his brother.

She giggled as both kits landed on top of her, pummeling her belly with their tiny claws. It didn't hurt much, the claws. But it tickled extremely and Dustkit shrieked as she rolled over, desperately trying to escape the brother's grasp.

Finally she kicked up, sending Thicketkit flying, his dark gray fur disappearing into a shower of dirt.

Dustkit jumped to her paws, satisfaction making her paws nimble and light. It was short-lived, however, for two sharp teeth bite down on her tail and tugged her backward. Her paws flew out from under her, and the calico kitten was on her stomach, paws out in all directions, tail still being tugged.

"_Rabbitkit!" _she meowed, scowling. He had very sharp teeth and he just kept biting, and Dustkit felt bad now for thinking nasty things about Swiftkit. "Let go! That _hurts, _you stupid fleapelt!"

The teeth were removed and he grumbled out a, "sorry," before Dustkit thwacked him on the nose with all the strength she had, which wasn't much at all.

Thicketkit sniffed her tail before announcing that it was bleeding a bit. She glared at the ginger kit sitting in front of her. He was looking guilty and he meowed again, more sincerely, "I'm sorry, Dustkit for making your tail bleed."

Dustkit wasn't all that mad at him, but she still made it seem that way by harrumphing around, trying to get her tail close enough to groom. "You're lucky I don't tell Shivertail on you, Rabbitkit."

"He said he was sorry, Dustkit!" Thicketkit sighed; standing by his brother whose eyes had grown wide and was shaking his head wildly. "You don't have to go telling our mother on him."

"Yeah! She said if there was one more complaint about tail-tugging, I wasn't allowed to eat hares anymore!"

_He is so gullible, then, _Dustkit thought. _Of course he can eat hares! It's part of WindClan's basic diet!_

She sighed, thinking hard. _I have to make this work for me… _"Alright," she mewed, an angle working itself out in her mind. "I won't tell… If you promise to play with Swiftkit and Mintkit anytime they ask _me _to play for the rest of this moon!"

_That'll get those two off _my _back for a while, and Rabbitkit can continue to eat hares for as long as he lives. It all ends perfectly!_

It wasn't that she hated her sister. Dustkit loved her sister dearly. It was just… she was so… different. Different from the rest of the kits, and certainly different from her. Mintkit was _smarter _than the rest of the kits. Dustkit wouldn't say _wiser_, because Mintkit, however intelligent she was about the way a hunting technique was performed, she was loud and obnoxious, but also, it was that she wasn't as aware of the cats around her as Dustkit was.

Not that Dustkit would _examine_ her clanmates, but she enjoyed just taking in the personalities of the other cats in WindClan.

That was a completely ordinary thing to do. No one even noticed. And to Dustkit, the things that went unnoticed were the things that were ordinary or simply unimportant.

Dustkit returned to the moment at paw as Rabbitkit seemed to weigh his options: Never eat hare again. _Which, _she snickered silently, _is complete rabbitdung, and everyone but him knows it._ Or play with the two loudest kits out of all five of the nursery's tiny inhabitants. The best option seemed clear to Dustkit,

_Never eat that fast-running prey ever again!_

"Deal."

Dustkit smiled brightly as Rabbitkit took the offer. Thicketkit rolled his eyes. "Idiot," he muttered under his breath.

Mintkit came skidding around the prey heap at top speed with Swiftkit right behind her. "Dustkit, come _on!"_

She looked over at Rabbitkit and swiveled her ears towards the two she-kits. He gave her a pleading glance that seemed to say, "_Now?"_

Dustkit nodded and Thicketkit laughed silently.

She turned to her sister and Swiftkit. "Sorry. I'm busy right now, but Rabbitkit will play with you."

Swiftkit looked dubious. "_Really?_"

Mintkit shrugged. "Alright! Come on! We found a moth that keeps fluttering around near the entrance!"

And with that the two she-kits were dragging poor Rabbitkit off to the game of "Catch the Butterfly"… or moth…

A voice broke through the amused silence between Thicketkit and Dustkit. It was Linkclaw, an elder of WindClan. "Always looking for an angle, are we not, Dustkit?"

The two kits turned, and Dustkit smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Linkclaw," she meowed apologetically.

He flicked his tail dismissively. "If we are to be apologizing," he paused, warmth running into his voice, "which we are not, you would _both_," he gave a stern, but kind look to Thicketkit, who snorted incredulously, "apologize to Rabbitkit."

"So you mean we don't have to apologize?" she asked hopefully.

"No. That was clever of you. Keep that sort of thing up. It's a useful skill to have. Persuasion," he chuckled, turning away from them. "Have fun while it lasts, kits! Have fun while it lasts…" And he walked stiffly away without another word.

"He's creepy," Dustkit announced after the sat there for a moment, staring after the old cat.

"I know. But he has good advice," Thicketkit giggled. "Have fun."

* * *

**So, as you can see, Dustkit's life may not be so uneventful. Ordinary to her may seem strange to everyone else.**

**Just like people in real life too.**

**Everyone is different.**

**Respect that.**

**If you want to find me, you can contact me on Instagram ( houseofhethuisanubis, which is my fandom account)**

**Or on Twitter: houseofhethuis**

**Hope to talk to you soon!**

**-April243**


	3. The Apprentice Ceremony

**Hey, hey, hey, Saturday!**

**This chapter has some very important information in it. I gloss over it, but it's there!**

**I really love writing this story for some reason... I don't know.**

**But if any of you like House of Anubis/Het Huis Anubis/Das Haus Anubis, please: Read my other stories!**

**Sunstorm, Birdleaf, and Feathersong belong to Swan's Feather.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Dustkit sat begrudgingly still as Heatherstem's tongue rasped over her ear for possibly the _one hundredth _time.

_"Mama!"_ Dustkit whined, trying to wriggle away. "Stop! It's almost time to go out! I don't want to be all wet!"

Littleflower, the mother of Swiftkit, giggled. "Oh, Heatherstem! Leave her alone! Besides…." She reached behind her and took the scruff of the shrieking Mintkit, and nudging her towards the deputy-turned-queen. "This one isn't ready yet!"

"NOOOOOO!" Mintkit wailed when Heatherstem began to groom her back.

Dustkit, Swiftkit, and Littleflower all let out a long _mrrrow _of laughter at Mintkit's desperate attempts at escape.

The silver kitten would wriggle her hindquarters in her mother's face, but Heatherstem neatly avoided her rump and licked Mintkit's lower back. Or she would attempt a flying leap over Heatherstem's head, only to get caught and groomed between the ears.

Even Dustkit wasn't that anxious to get out of a primping, and that was saying something, for she absolutely _hated_ grooming from her mother.

Both Mintkit and she were certain Heatherstem had the roughest tongue out of every cat in WindClan; possibly all four of the clans!

Breezefur, the temporary deputy, ducked his large ginger head inside the nursery calling out, with a purr rumbling in his throat, "Dustkit; Mintkit… It's time!"

"Let all cats of WindClan gather at Tallrock!" Hollowstar called from outside just as Breezefur ducked back out.

Mintkit let out a little mew of excitement as she broke free of Heatherstem's grasp.

Swiftkit looked up with her eyes full of excitement, sadness, and envy. "I'm going to miss you!" she exclaimed, standing up and beginning to walk to the nursery entrance with the two soon-to-be-apprentices, their mother, and Littleflower. "I wish _I _was becoming an apprentice."

Dustkit rolled her eyes, not really caring that the younger kit was going to feel lonely, if not rather pleased, for in the past few moons, Swiftkit had become increasingly annoying and whiney. But Mintkit, always the compassionate one, did care, and meowed reassuringly, "You will! Only two more moons!"

"Yes, I know, but—"

Heatherstem shushed them both before they could continue as they filed into to camp. Littleflower dragged Swiftkit off to the side with Kestrelpelt, who was Littleflower's mate and Swiftkit's father.

Heatherstem trotted over to Willowleap and Fallowsplash with her head held in the air, proud of her two kits.

Dustkit was suddenly very nervous. Thicketpaw, who had been made an apprentice a moon ago along with his brother, caught her eye and dipped his head politely, but his eyes were bright and excited.

Rabbitpaw stuck his tongue out at Mintkit and Dustkit good-naturedly, but his mentor, Badgerfur, caught him and cuffed his ear.

Rabbitpaw grimaced, and Dustkit felt bad for him. Badgerfur was mean. He was a good teacher, she'd heard, but the black-and-white warrior was somewhat of a bully.

Feathersong, the medicine cat, not to mention Dustkit and Mintkit's aunt, sat with her eyes staring at her and Mintkit with an approving, but rather cold, gaze.

Dustkit glanced at Mintkit and they gave each other a look that said the same thing,

_Creepy…!_

"Mintkit and Dustkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Hollowstar began from atop Tallrock. His tail was curled tightly around his paws, and his eyes were full of wisdom. Dustkit was trembling with excitement.

_I'm going to be an apprentice! Goodbye, stuffy old nursery! Hello, WindClan!_

"Dustkit, please step forward. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Dustpaw," he announced, gazing warmly down at Dustpaw. But she wasn't paying attention to anybody's gaze—just her own thoughts.

_I'm an apprentice. I'm an apprentice! I _am _an apprentice! I'm going to be a _warrior!

"Birdleaf," Hollowstar began again. Birdleaf, a pretty pale brown she-cat, straightened up, ears pricked, green eyes glowing with shock and happiness, "you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent traing from Oatheart," at these words Oatheart straightened with pride next to Linkclaw and the other two elders, "and you have shown yourself to be patient and hardworking. You will be a wonderful mentor of Dustpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Dustpaw looked over at Birdleaf, who look straight back. Her mentor held Dustpaw's gaze until she reached her. The pale brown she-cat dipped her head and touched noses to the calico apprentice.

"By the time you become a warrior," Birdleaf purred, "you'll know it all."

Dustpaw replied quickly and eagerly, "I can't wait."

Mentor and apprentice stepped to the side so Hollowstar could continue.

Mintkit, from this day onward, till you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Mintpaw."

Mintpaw looked beyond excited as she received her new name and rank.

"Your mentor will be Sunstorm. I hope he passes down all he knows to you," the leader of WindClan meowed, his voice ringing out to WindClan and the moor that stretched out protectively around them.

"Sunstorm," the ginger-and-white tom padded up to his leader, "you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Mintheart, you we all still hold dearly with us and hope watches this clan from StarClan."

The entire clan bowed their heads in a moment of remembrance. Dustpaw didn't know who Mintheart was, but she must have been a remarkable warrior, for the clan seemed to miss her as an entirety.

Dustpaw didn't find it all that strange that Mintpaw's mentor's mentor had the same name as Mintpaw. _It's just a fluke. Just like it being a fluke when I pushed Swiftkit into the thorns yesterday because she was being an annoying furball… again, _she decided, and small prickle of satisfaction ran through her at the memory.

"You have shown yourself to be strong and understanding, Sunstorm. You will be a great mentor to Mintpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Apprentice and mentor touched noses and padded over to where Birdleaf and Dustpaw sat. Mintpaw and Dustkit looked at each other proudly.

_We're apprentices!_ Mintpaw's expression read.

_I know! It's amazing! _Dustpaw's eyes expressed.

"DUISTPAW! MINTPAW!" WindClan cried out to StarClan above.

Dustpaw purred, looking up at Birdleaf. She was looking down at her apprentice too.

* * *

**So, as you can also see, Dustpaw is kind of a bitch. She's a nice bitch. But she's a bitch.**

**And what about poor Rabbitpaw? Badgerfur seems like an even bigger bitch than Dustpaw! **

**I'd love to hear your feedback, and I can't wait to update!**

**May StarClan light your path!**

**Kisses xx,**

**April243**


	4. Hunting

**Heyo! April243 here, bringing you another chapter of TULOD!**

**This chapter is from a different cat's POV simply because it was needed.**

**I'm still taking any and all OCs, so make one up a send it to me! I'd love to add it in.**

**I'm shocked at how many views this story has! Ily guys sooooooooooooooo much!**

**School has started up and they are pumping out the HW so forgive me for not being on as much.**

**Anyway, ON WITH IT!**

**Sunstorm, Birdleaf, and Turtlepaw belong to Swan's Feather.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Dustpaw narrowed her gaze on the rabbit nibbling on a weed. She bunched her muscles and shot off towards it, bounding closer and closer.

The creature caught wind of her, and let out a warning thump of its foot before streaking away.

Still, Dustpaw pursued after it.

They zigzagged across the moor, while near the hunting patrol's starting place, Mintpaw was cheering for her sister.

"CATCH IT!" she shrieked, bouncing on her paws.

Sunstorm gave her a stern look. "Don't break her concentration," he meowed.

Mintpaw flashed a sheepish look at her mentor, before turning back to the chase Dustpaw was participating in.

_C'mon, Dustpaw… _Mintpaw willed her sister to make the catch. She was feeling a bit guilty, because while she had already caught a bird that flew out of RiverClan territory _and _a plump hare, while Dustpaw hadn't caught anything.

To make matters worse, Mintpaw was also praised about how incredible she was at hunting. "_Like you've been hunting your entire life!"_ Birdleaf had announced, while Sunstorm had sniffed self-righteously, _"I taught her everything she knows."_

Dustpaw had sat there looking as if her fur had been blown the wrong way, and she had scratched lines viciously in the dust.

Gulping, Mintpaw remembered how the lines looked suspiciously like a tabby cat, scratched up and mangled.

_But she is my sister and she loves me, just as I love her,_ Mintpaw thought matter-o-factly. _She just feels… upset. I guess I would, too._

Dustpaw was gaining on the rabbit. All she appeared to be was a calico blur gaining on a beige blur.

Finally, Dustpaw took a mighty leap into the air and disappeared into the tall, dry heather.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, out of the heather, came a triumphant yowl that grew louder, and, louder.

The two warriors ran towards the yowl, beaming. Mintpaw raced after them feeling lighthearted.

When they arrived at Dustpaw's side, she lifted her head proudly to show the rabbit hanging limply from her jaws.

Mintpaw jumped right in with, "Wow! It's almost as big as you, Dustpaw!"

Birdleaf's eyes were warm with pride. "Amazing catch, Dustpaw. I especially liked your form. Though your last leap could have been more like this…"

Birdleaf trailed off as she demonstrated a more graceful flying leap. Dustpaw copied it.

Mintpaw felt a twinge of longing. Sunstorm was a good teacher—one of the best… But he never taught her in the standard way. Only a moon had passed since her ceremony, and she was very glad to be a moor-runner. But Sunstorm would only teach her through lectures—never experience. He said she didn't need it because she was _"just too good to have your talents wasted on such frivolous activities. You must save your energy!"_

While Dustpaw, Rabbitpaw, and Turtlepaw, who was an older apprentice, would practice their running and fighting on the wide, open hills of WindClan territory, Mintpaw would just watch as she sat with her mentor, who would be telling her the dynamics of the running motion. She learned a lot this way, but she felt almost as cooped up as poor Thicketpaw and Wasppaw, who were both tunnelers, must be.

There were six apprentices all together in WindClan—four moor-runners and two tunnelers. They were all treated the same, and Mintpaw was friends with of them! She was just worried that eventually their positions in the Clan would get to them, and they wouldn't be friends any longer.

_That won't happen, _Mintpaw assured herself. _Then why are you worrying about it? _a grim voice in her head replied.

She was brought back to the moment by a happy purr from Birdleaf as Dustpaw perfected the leap.

Sunstorm scoffed quietly before they moved onward; dragging their prey along with them, they trotted back towards camp. A renewed sense of excitement washed over Mintpaw as they neared the shallow dip in the moor.

At sunhigh the following day, she and Dustpaw would be setting off to the Moonstone as part of their training.

It was standard, what with being a required part of warrior training, but nevertheless an exciting part. She was looking forward to it greatly!

But what Mintpaw didn't know was that the trip to the Moonstone was only the beginning of a dark time that would change WindClan's existence forever.

And there wasn't any going back.

* * *

**Mintpaw isn't as annoying as we all thought, is she? Nah. She's a protagonist that is pretty fun to write, and I hope you all like her! **

**If you were wondering how to contact me, you can find me on Instagram ( houseofhethuisanubis or fallowrxse) and Twitter ( houseofhethuis)**

**I'd love to hear your feedback, and I can't wait to update!**

**May StarClan light your path!**

**Kisses xx,**

**April243**


	5. Mothermouth and the ThunderClan Patrol

**Heyo! April243 here, bringing you another chapter of TULOD!**

**I'm still taking any and all OCs, so make one up a send it to me! I'd love to add it in.**

**I'm shocked at how many views this story has! Ily guys sooooooooooooooo much!**

**School has started up and they are pumping out the HW so forgive me for not being on as much.**

**Anyway, ON WITH IT!**

**Sunstorm, Birdleaf, and Feathersong belong to Swan's Feather.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

The anticipation and fear was swirling around in both their bellies and try as they might, neither Mintpaw nor Dustpaw could keep still.

Birdleaf gave Dustpaw a little shove forward into the medicine den to collect the tiny bundles of traveling herbs from Feathersong. She was coming on the trip as well.

She claimed that "_you kits will probably break every rule laid out by StarClan on the way there, you both are so_ unruly!_ I'll help to chaperon to make sure you're keeping your 'paws in line, Birdleaf and Sunstorm!" _

Dustpaw recalled how the snappy medicine cat had annunciated every syllable in her and Mintpaw's mentor's names. Feathersong truly gave her the feeling of complete terror… as if Dustpaw were to actually get seriously wounded in a battle, she'd rather bleed out than be treated by someone so snarky and hostile.

But Sunstorm proposed an idea when no one dared step into the medicine den that they'd have to guess what type of prey he was thinking about. Whoever got the right answer had to get the herbs. Birdleaf had guessed hare, which was wrong and she sighed in relief. Dustpaw had blurted out _mouse _before she could stop herself, and, of course, with luck like hers it was what he was thinking of.

Mintpaw had let out _mrrow _of laughter at her sister. Now Dustpaw wanted to wail out loud.

She approached Feathersong from behind, the silver-grey-and-white she-cat not looking up from the herb sorting.

The calico apprentice parted her jaws to speak, but Feathersong beat her to it. "Lost, did you?" she meowed quietly. "You had a game to see what unlucky cat had to retrieve the herbs from the mean, old medicine cat, right?"

Dustpaw, startled out of her fur, felt a twinge of guilt at Feathersong's sharp words. But she would be honest. "Yes… we—we did."

The older cat sighed. "No matter. We have to go now. We have to get to Highstones before the moon is up. Come along."

Feathersong picked up the traveling herbs and brushed past her; Dustpaw followed docilely, hoping not to be scolded by her mentor for getting them found out.

The all bent and lapped up the herbs, except, of course, for Feathersong who was forbidden to do so; Dustpaw cringed as she swallowed her bundle. It was so _bitter._

Once they finished, Sunstorm meowed in his sturdy, pompous voice, "Well, we'd best be off. Can't be late for StarClan, now can we?"

Feathersong smiled sarcastically. "Only if you want a tree to fall on you, Sunstorm. Only then."

"Ah! But you forget there are no trees in WindClan, Feathersong," Hollowstar's voice purred from behind them. Dustpaw whipped around to see their leader had come out to bid them a good journey.

"I forget nothing, Hollowstar," Feathersong replied respectfully, but even so, she lashed her tail.

"Can we _please go now?_" Mintpaw piped up, her whine shrieking and piercing.

Birdleaf chuckled as Sunstorm swatted her gently over the ears. "Yes. I think we should. It's getting late…" She cast a glance over at Hollowstar for his consent and he dipped his head.

"Yes. You'd better go now. I didn't mean to keep you."

At that moment, Breezefur shot up behind Hollowstar. "We need your help! Quickly!"

Hollowstar turned around swiftly. "What? What is it? Is someone hurt?"

At this, Feathersong straightened. "If there is someone hurt, you'll need me!"

Breezefur shook his head. "No, no! No one's hurt. I'm sorry to have startled you like that, but some ThunderClan cats are waiting on the border. So is Lionstar. They wish to speak with you..." he paused, hesitantly. "They're hostile."

_Lionstar and his clan want to speak to WindClan? Why? _Dustpaw pondered, flattening her ears to her head. _Are they planning to attack?_

Hollowstar nodded, jaw set tightly and his neck fur rose. "Why don't you five get going to Highstones? I have to go." He looked around the clearing for warriors to take with him. "Badgerfur! Brindlefoot! Stormpelt! Heatherstem! Come with me"

Sunstorm nodded and ushered the apprentices out of the camp, Birdleaf and Feathersong close behind.

_What was going on? Why is ThunderClan angry with us?_

* * *

As they trekked up the last hill, the group was finally at the Mothermouth after the long hike. It was pitch black inside, but for some reason, the darkness was more comforting the frightening.

Mintpaw sat beside her sister, staring up in awe at the towering cliffs with wide green eyes.

Feathersong observed the silent group with complete patience… until she ran out of it. "Alright. Do you mind? The moon is rising." She shoved Birdleaf out of the way and stood in front of the entrance. "There will be no speaking as we descend. Understood?" She eyed as all, daring anyone to say something. When no one did, she nodded approvingly. "Good. Hurry along, now. After me."

With that, the WindClan medicine cat turned and was swallowed by the shadows. They others followed suit, and as soon as Dustpaw was blocked from the moonlight, she felt a strong urge to turn back. _Don't be a harebrain! Just go!_ She ordered herself, padding deeper into the tunnel.

It was growing steeper and narrower as they continued down, but all of the cats moved silently and swiftly until, in the tunnel, they felt a draft of cool, night wind and it opened up into a cavern. It was still dark, but with the light from the moon only just peering in gave a luster of twilight to the cats inside.

"Where is the Moonstone?" Mintpaw wondered aloud, and then cringed as Feathersong's sharp hiss cut through the silence.

"Hush, you furball! Wait…"

As if her words had summoned it, the moonlight hit the Moonstone and set it ablaze.

Dustpaw squinted against its rays, awed into submission.

When her eyes, adjusted, she saw that Feathersong was bending her head towards the Moonstone. "Are we supposed to do that too?" she asked Birdleaf in a whisper. Her mentor shook her head, never taking her eyes away from the light.

"No. We lie down here and wait for Feathersong to receive her dream from StarClan."

Dustpaw looked over at Sunstorm and Mintpaw who were settling down, and she lay down as well. Birdleaf curled up and put her chin on her paws, shutting her green eyes delicately.

The calico she-cat turned her gaze to Feathersong, who had her eyes shut and her breathing was even. Dustpaw tried to mouth something to Mintpaw, but she was either sleeping or simply copying her mentor.

Dustpaw sighed and decided to do the same, putting her head in a comfortable position and closing her blue eyes.

The serenity that washed over her the moment her eyes shut was startling, but so strong it sent Dustpaw, down, and, down into a deep warm sleep.

* * *

**Ugh. School. I'm swamped.  
**

**If you were wondering how to contact me, you can find me on Instagram ( houseofhethuisanubis or fallowrxse) and Twitter ( houseofhethuis)**

**I'd love to hear your feedback, and I can't wait to update!**

**May StarClan light your path!**

**Kisses xx,**

**April243**


	6. The Vision

**OMG HELLO I AM BACK** **Did you miss me?**

** Well, I missed you all!** **Hopefully I can continue this story, but I'll need encouragement because I'm a flake *sighs***

**I also changed the title from the Uneventful Life of Dustlight to Dustlight's Choice.**

**Anyway, if you remember, this story was about Miss Dustpaw growing up in WindClan. This chapter is from her sister's POV** **Enjoy!**

* * *

Mintpaw heard the murmur of voices, dull and hollow sounding. She opened her eyes to the Moonstone, which was no longer lit for the moon had since passed over Mothermouth. The voices carried on murmuring; she pricked her ears, straining to make out the words. The rest of the cats still slept, even Feathersong with her nose pressed against the darkened Moonstone.

Mintpaw lowered her head again, shutting her eyes. But the noise didn't stop. The voices seemed to be beckoning to her, and finally the silver tabby couldn't contain her curiosity anymore. She rose to her paws as quietly as she could, stepping over her mentor's sleeping form. No one stirred. Mintpaw darted into the tunnel and up toward the exit of Mothermouth. The voices got louder and louder as she got closer and closer to the open moor. The air grew fresh again and moonlight grew brighter. Then, she was out.

What Mintpaw saw nearly made her screech in surprise. The moor had disappeared— she now stood in the WindClan camp. There was a meeting being held, it seemed, for cats were gathered in the hollow; they looked up to Hollowstar. But it wasn't Hollowstar who stood upon Tallrock— it was Rabbitpaw. Mintpaw squinted up at him, for she was at the back of camp. It was Rabbitpaw, alright. A much older Rabbitpaw, but it was still Rabbitpaw. He was shouting something at the cats gathered below.

"Cats of WindClan!" yowled Rabbitpaw. "This is the dawning of a new era for us! We will no longer take the larceny of RiverClan, nor the fruitless battles started by the ThunderClan warriors on our borders! We will bring them to the ground!"

Mintpaw watched, eyes wide as she herself stepped from the crowd. "Rabbitstar, this is crazy talk! We cannot take on both RiverClan and ThunderClan, nor would we want to! We need to learn to exist peacefully beside the other Clans, not fight them!" Mintpaw watched herself say.

"I agree with Mintfeather," Turtlepaw— or whatever she was called now— piped up, moving to stand beside Mintpaw's older self. She was thoroughly confused, and the silver cat, pushed her way through the crowd to get closer. No one seemed to notice her presence. She came to the conclusion she wasn't able to be seen. _How curious..._

"Well, I think he's right," an older Swiftkit hissed, pushing her way to the base of Tallrock to face the WindClan cats. "I want those mangy fleapelts to suffer like they made Waspfur suffer. I want to see every ThunderClan cat pay back every drop of blood they spilled with their own!" Mintpaw was shocked. Was this really her best friend? Not only was this cat hostile, but she had no idea Swiftkit had ever looked at Wasppaw that way.

The clan erupted into yowls and shouts, some for the apparent war on two of the four Clans, and others adamantly against it. Mintpaw was squished by the bodies that pressed in against each other. Apparently this had been a real problem. _What is going on? _

Mintpaw stared in horror at the scene she was seemingly apart of; her blood turned to ice as she saw Harefoot strike out at Sunstorm and the two tumbled into a full on skirmish. She caught a glimpse of herself pressed against Thicketpaw and Dustpaw, eyes bulging with terror. Her view was blocked a moment later as WindClan cats rushed about, cats' angry yowls growing louder.

"SILENCE!" The shouting and fighting ceased as Rabbitpaw— or star— yowled from the Tallrock. Sunstorm shoved Harefoot off himself, a slash across his nose and Harefoot had a torn ear. Rabbitpaw continued "I'm not a cat of unfair intentions; I am for the majority. We shall vote."

Before Mintpaw could do anything else, teeth sunk into her scruff and pulled her back out of the crowd. She screeched in fright, wriggling out of the mysterious cat's grasp. She turned around, expecting to see another future-cat. But it wasn't. It was Feathersong.

"Wha– What's happening in there? What is—"

Feathersong hushed her, eyes blazing. "What are you doing here?" she hissed angrily, tail lashing. She looked distraught, like she had just barely outrun a dog.

Mintpaw was floundering for words. "I don't know what I'm doing here. I just woke up at the Moonstone and heard voices outside. And then here I was!" She blinked, desperate now. "What is going on, Feathersong? Why is Rabbitkit standing up there like he's the leader?" Feathersong was silent for many heartbeats; she seemed to be thinking deeply. Then the medicine cat muttered something under her breath that Mintpaw couldn't make out.

She was just about to ask again when the old medicine cat repeated her words, louder this time: "Then you are the one."

"One what?"

"The one to stop what will happen. You must be that cat! That foolish tomcat must never become leader! Do you understand? Never! If he does, there will be war not only with the other Clans, but in WindClan itself. We will fall!" Feathersong sounded shaken; then she sighed, her voice dull. "I have seen this scene every night for the past quarter moon. The vote we see here determines that fate of our clan."

Mintpaw turned back to the camp, noticing that a line had been scratched in the earth. Cats moved to either side of the clearing. She saw Thicketpaw, Turtlepaw, Sunstorm, herself and many other cats on one side, and Swiftkit, Harefoot, and a few others on the opposite side. She noticed now that Dustpaw hesitated on the line. She was the only one that hadn't chosen a side.

_What is she doing?_ Mintpaw wondered. _She isn't contemplating war, _surely_!_

"Dustlight!" shouted Swiftkit from the side of the more violent cats. Dustpaw looked over at her. "Make those river rats pay for Heatherstem's death. She wouldn't have died if they hadn't stolen our prey this leafbare and you know it."

Mintpaw saw herself push forward. "Swifttail, there intention was not to kill Heatherstem, and you know _that_! Dustlight, please. Come here." Dustpaw looked like she couldn't make up her mind at all, looking back and forth between the two groups wildly. Rabbitpaw leapt down from Tallrock and trailed his tail along her sister's back gently as he padded to the group that wanted to wage war. Mintpaw was shocked to see love in Dustpaw's blue eyes. However, she still didn't move. _Is my sister in love with Rabbitpaw? _she thought, more confused than ever. _Maybe not _yet_. This can't be a vision of the future... can it?_

As the scene began to glimmer and dissipate, Feathersong spoke up again. "Your sister decides our fate. And you must make sure she chooses peace," the camp faded to dark and a last whisper of Feathersong made Mintpaw's fur stand on end, "or WindClan will not survive."

* * *

**This could have been better, but it was written during multiple classes over the course of two days (mostly in la class de español lol)**

**I'll need 5 reviews for next chapter! **

**Kisses,**

**The Showers in April**


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